02 11 2015

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Volume 12: Issue 7 February 11 - 24, 2015

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Mental Health & Homelessness Experts offer insight into a complex relationship.

pg 6

Searching for Solu

That Every Kid Has a Home

tions to House 2.5

Million Homeles

s Children pg 5

New Administration Digs into Homelessness City Council committees reach out for public intput, target affordable housing. pg 3

Street Se Visual nse Vendor ize s With P Their Drea ms u #Solid blic Art ariTree s pg 9

Street Sense aims to serve as a vehicle for elevating voices and public debate on issues relating to poverty while also creating economic opportunities for people who are experiencing homelessness and poverty in our community.

CORRECTION

In our January 28th edition, Street Sense reported “to qualify for assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a home buyer must have an annual income that is between 50 percent and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI).” However, HUD funding is used to help people at a variety of income levels.

According to Chief Performance Officer BIll Winston, Manna has helped families earning below 30% of the AMI purchase their first home. The 50 - 80 percent range that was mentioned applied to the specific housing unit in the article.”

COVER ART Congressional briefing on the 2.5 million children homeless in America.

PHOTO BY JENNIFER ORTIZ,

Christie Jones signing a copy of “Are We Home Yet?” at Shiloh New Site Baptist Church in Stafford, Va. for a housed 7 year-old.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TP REWARDS PUBLISHING

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OUR STORY Street Sense began in August 2003 after Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions with the idea to start a street paper in Washington, D.C. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, Street Sense published its first issue in November 2003. In 2005, Street Sense achieved 501 ( c ) 3 status as a nonprofit organization, formed a board of directors and hired a full-time executive director.

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STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

3

NEWS

D.C. Council and Community Unite to Tackle Homelessness

By Reginald Black and Emma Holland Street Sense Staff On January 30, 2015, the District of Columbia City Council held a joint public hearing with the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Health and Human Services to discuss the causes and solutions to homelessness in Washington, D.C. “It appears the issue has gotten worse,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Health and Human Services Committee Chair and Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander shared several anecdotes from her experience on this year’s Point-In-Time count, a survey of homelessness in the area, to illustrate the many challenges homeless residents face. She supported Mayor Bowser’s goal that there be no homeless families in the District in 2015 and committed to providing more services for homeless people. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau emphasized prevention and collaboration, conceding that District services to the homeless are insufficient.

At-Large Councilmember David Grosso voiced that $8.7 million promised from city government had not made it to the programs it was supposed to support. He also called for year-round, 24 hour shelters. Grosso stressed not waiting till the next fiscal season.

“We can end [chronic homelessness] sooner than 2025,” he said. “I want to know what you need. I want to give it to you now.”

Witnesses and council members alike stressed the problem of domestic violence

leading to homelessness and occurring within the homeless community. Forty-four percent of homeless families reported a history of domestic violence, according to Karma Cottman, Executive Director of the D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Acting Director of the Department of Human Services Laura Zeilinger suggested a systematic approach to providing access to the affordable housing supply: shifting from an array of programs that operate on their own to a coordinated system.

“I’ve seen affordable housing go like rapid fire back to the market price.” Grosso said, “People have offered us different parts of the solution and it’s really our job to pull this together.”

The Rapid Re-Housing Program, which moves homeless families out of shelters and into temporary apartments, was mentioned as a solid tool for helping people get a chance at housing. Rapid Re-Housing places people in rented apartments and helps to pay the rent for four months and up to a year. But a few witnesses, including Street Sense’s Reggie Black, contested that this wasn’t long enough.

Shirley Horng, a representative of the Legal Aid Society of D.C., spoke specifically about the flaws within the Rapid Re-Housing Program. The Legal Aid Society has handled many eviction cases that resulted from the program. She said most people who go through Rapid Re-Housing are worse off for participating in the program because they can’t get a job in four

months, they can’t pay the rent, they get evicted, they go to court, and they end up with the eviction on their personal record.

“Community witness” John Ross, homeless himself, said that if people had more windows of opportunity, then that would diminish homelessness. Most community witnesses, unaffiliated with an organization, were people experiencing homelessness. But many who had signed up to testify were not present when their names were called.

Vanessa Wellbery of Hyacinth’s Place suggested that Permanent Supportive Housing is the solution to homelessness in D.C., but admitted that different people are suited to different housing options and no single solution is always better than the others.

Most people voiced their support for rapid re-housing, including Kristy Greenwalt, Bowser’s new homeless czar. Greenwalt suggested that this option was just being given to the wrong set of people. She added that D.C. spends a vast amount of taxpayer dollars on managing homelessness.

“This is a community that is a thousand units short of affordable housing,” Greenwalt said. “There is a cost to systems change, but if done right it is only a one-time cost.”

Rapid Re-hHousing seems to be one of the least costly housing tools--cheaper than Permanent Supportive Housing and shelters. Some families and individuals don’t need the support of Permanent Sup-

portive Housing, according to Greenwalt.

Kate Coventry, Policy Analyst at the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, claimed that a number of families had been wrongfully denied housing and blamed this failure on the lack of staff who can place homeless families.

She said there was too much pressure on too few staff so they made incorrect decisions. Mendelson then repeated his concern that homelessness is continuing to rise in D.C., while it is going down in surrounding areas and other major cities. Coventry suggested that the numbers are obscured by those who are not counted. Mendelson, through questioning witnesses, brought up the issue of homeless people moving into D.C. to receive services. Several witnesses contested the idea.

Deborah Johnson, from the Youth Development Model, discussed the problems that homeless girls and women face, especially young mothers. She said many of them are homeless for lack of reproductive health education.

Grosso voiced a different concern: D.C.’s incarceration system. He claimed there are a lot of people in jail who are homeless and mentally ill. Grosso wants to work on the preservation of affordable housing. He believes the more you build, the cheaper the rent will become.

“An end to homelessness doesn’t mean that no one will ever experience a housing crisis again,” Zeilinger said. “An end to homelessness means that we have a systematic response so that it’s rare and brief.”

Committee Chairwoman Bonds Declares Affordable Housing Most Important Issue Facing City

By Julie Gallagher, Editorial Intern

Council of the District of Columbia member Anita Bonds, Democrat At-Large, held an open house on January 29, 2015 to introduce herself as chairwoman for the Committee on Housing and Community Development. Bonds’ fellow committee members shared their vision for improving housing conditions in Washington, D.C. The Committee on Housing and Community Development is in charge of development, maintenance, preservation and regulation of housing and neighborhoods in the District. Bonds, a D.C. native, made it very clear that affordable housing is one of her top priorities.

Bonds’ Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director, David Meadows, told

Street Sense in an interview that Bonds’ main goal is to “ensure that the District of Columbia remains a diverse community, culturally and economically, where everyone can live.”

Meadows said that Bonds is “appalled” by the rising cost of living, and recognizes that for very low income residents, and even those who are middle class, the high cost of living is very hard and in some cases unattainable.

The committee is currently looking into rent control laws and ensuring proper spending of The Housing Production Trust Fund.

Last year, Bonds hosted a series of Community Action Summits and working

group sessions with “tenant association presidents, developers, government officials, affordable housing advocates, ANC representatives, apartment building own-

ers, real estate agents and providers to create a comprehensive approach to the most important issue facing the District of Columbia today,” according to a press release issued in December. Meadows noted that Bonds plans on hosting more

sessions this year.

Bonds is also working specifically towards affordable housing for the elderly.

Last year she drafted and helped pass a bill called the Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief Act, which planned to eliminate property taxes for residents who are at least 70-years-old if they have lived in D.C. for 20 years. Former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray signed the bill into law and funded it, but the reduction of taxes was deferred. Meadows noted that, as chairwoman, Bonds will be doing everything she can to fund this legislation.

“Know that we are very serious about housing,” Bonds said. “You gotta have a place to live.”

Behind the Scenes of The Homeless Census

By Jacquie Lee Editorial Intern Mayor Muriel Bowser and Nani Coloretti, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), greeted a crowd of roughly 200 people on the night of January 28, 2015. The HUD employees, homeless advocates and other volunteers were preparing for this year’s Point-in-Time (PIT) count to calculate the city’s homeless population.

“I see a remarkable group of people in this room,” Coloretti said in opening remarks.

The goal of the count is to search for unsheltered people in the surrounding area and survey them to collect data on homelessness in Washington, D.C. Volunteers and HUD employees break up into groups and scour the streets. “[We use the] data to find out individual situations to help target services that people need,” Coloretti later told Street Sense.

Each year, the PIT count occurs nationwide on a single night in January, ensuring no one is counted twice.

Local Continuums of Care (CoC’s), bodies of stakeholders that coordinate housing or funds for the homeless or those in poverty, organize the effort within their individual geographic locations and utilize raw data collected by the volunteers, according to Tom Fredericksen, chief of policy programs for The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness (TCP). TCP coordinates the CoC in Washington and has been in charge of conducting the PIT count in the District since 2001.

HUD requires a count of people staying in shelters every year and people living unsheltered every other year. Many Continuums, the District’s included, choose to

perform the unsheltered count every year to stay better informed, according to HUD Special Assistant Laura Kunkel The data is then sent to HUD, the Department of Human Services, the Washington Council of Governments, D.C.’s neighboring jurisdictions and the Metro, and helps D.C. decide how to allocate its resources to help the people they’ve counted, Fredericksen explained.

“The year-to-year counts have been used to assist with developing the Winter Plan or helping to decide where city-contracted outreach providers should conduct their work throughout the year,” he said.

PIT count data is also used as evidence to present to Congress. HUD Deputy Chief of Staff Laura Hogshead has seen the count evolve drastically since she began working on homelessness in the early 2000s.

“We had the beginning of this data, but nothing like this,” Hogshead said. “It’s kind of amazing how far this developed.”

As data improves, the District has a better grasp of who is homeless and what services are going to be most important to get them housed and prevent others from experiencing similar situations. Coloretti remembers when the count started ten years ago: volunteers only asked whether or not people identified as homeless.

The survey questions volunteers ask today range from a person’s name and age to whether they’re a veteran, whether they have any disabilities or whether they’ve been on the street for more than one year.

One example Coloretti gave of the survey’s attempt to gather the most accurate data possible is that this year respondents can choose to check off the box “transgendered.”

This was Hogshead’s first year going out for the count. She was nervous, but readily stocked with a box of Cliff Bars to hand out

to hungry people.

Kunkel, one of many returning volunteers, passed on some helpful tips to her team.

“Go up and tap their toes if they’re asleep, that way we at least know they’re alright,” she said.

The PIT count was partly inspired by the research of Dennis P. Culhane. He followed the same subset of homeless people for a year and calculated the cost of homelessness on society, ac- Volunteers Laura Kunkle and Laura Hogshead survey Alpheus cording to Hogshead. Mboyane for the 2015 Point-in-Time count in front of Union Emergency room Station. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN SULLIVAN. trips and the costs of courtroom fees were just some of the exup for as long as they needed to, just as amples that Culhane used to prove that long as the hypothermia alert was still on, it was cheaper to house homeless people according to Cunningham. instead of leaving them on the street.

“Although we saw very few unsheltered “That inspired the data aspect of homehomeless people on the night of January lessness,” Kunkel added. “It put the num28, the number of unsheltered people bers in a way that appealed to the masses.” goes up significantly as the weather gets But data is not the only thing that warmer,” Cunningham said. brings people to the PIT count each year.

Last year’s count of “literally homeless” “It puts a face to the work,” Larry people was 11,946, up by several hundred Handerhan, program manager for HUD’s people from 11,547 in 2013, according to Office for Philanthropic Innovation, said. a report by the Metropolitan Washington “You feel like you never see the people Council of Governments. The increase was you help. This makes it more real.” attributed primarily to a rise in the city’s For District PIT count veteran Karen population, according to the report. The Cunningham, Executive Director for the 2015 report will be released in late spring.

Capitol Hill Group Ministry, this year’s “People think homelessness is a problem count was warmer than the last. that can’t be solved,” Handerhan said. “I Last year there were “warming buses” think it can be solved. It’s a matter of reparked right outside of Union Station. source allocation and collaboration.”

People could walk onto the bus and warm

President Proposes Promise of Higher Education

By Julie Gallagher Editorial Intern Last month President Barack Obama announced a proposal called “America’s College Promise.” The program would eliminate the cost of two years of community college nationwide for students who maintain good grades.

This plan is an expansion on a current program in Tennessee called the “Tennessee Promise” scholarship, in which students can apply to receive two years of free community college education. Obama praised Tennessee’s initiative, and other cities and states with similar programs, during a speech at Pellissippi State College in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Obama emphasized that a college degree in today’s competitive economy is the “surest ticket to the middle class,”

and that businesses will want to set up their headquarters where the most educated, versatile employees are.

“Two years of college will become as free and universal as high school is today,” Obama said.

The proposal carries a controversial estimated price tag of $60 billion in the next ten years, The Washington Post reported.

Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said that he does not support the nationwide proposal, but thinks that Tennessee’s plan should be replicated at the state level.

University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) CEO, Dr. Dianna Phillips, readily gave her own support for the initiative.

“I think it’s absolutely necessary that

we change the context of the conversation to acknowledge that technology has transformed the workplace in such a way that additional education beyond high school is critical,” Phillips said.

Phillips also noted in an interview on “Let’s Talk Live” that some of the noncredit programs at UDC-CC are already free and that Obama’s initiative mirrors the goals of UDC-CC. According to research conducted and compiled by D.C. Appleseed in April 2014, economists have predicted that within the next four years, 72 percent of all jobs in D.C. will require some postsecondary education.

However, according the Department of Education, the cost of an in-state 4-year

public college degree has increased by 200 percent. The cost of community college has increased by 150 percent, taking inflation into consideration.

This has made the reality of earning a college degree a distant dream for many D.C. residents. If UDC-CC were to adapt to Obama’s proposal, many of D.C.’s residents would then be able to attend a community college and receive credit without the financial burden of tuition.

“Today, in a 21st century economy, where your most valuable asset is your knowledge, the single most important way to get ahead is not just to get a high school education,” Obama said. “You’ve got to get some higher education.”

Mark Greenberg, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, speaks to the audience at the filled-to-capacity meeting room of the Rayburn congressional office building. PHOTO BY JENNIFER ORTIZ

STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

5

COVER STORY

Researchers Bring National Attention to Record Number of Homeless Children in U.S.

By Jennifer Ortiz Ediotrial Intern

On Tuesday February 10 a panel briefed Congress on the “historic high” of 2.5 million homeless children in the United States. The panel was put together by the American Institutes for Research (AIR)’s National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH), to present its 2014 report “America’s Youngest Outcasts.”

America’s Youngest Outcasts analyzed data from the Department of Education (DoE), using DoE’s definition of homelessness. Homeless children counted by DoE include only children that are in the school system; these are children from the ages of six to eighteen.

John McGah, senior associate of the AIR/NCFH, pointed out that DoE’s statistics look at less than half of the total 2.5 million homeless children in the United States.

“A number of studies have shown that 51 percent of homeless children--and this is confirmed in more than one research paper--are between the ages of zero to six,” McGah said.

America’s Youngest Outcasts reports an eight percent nationwide increase in child homelessness from 2012-2013. In D.C. alone there were 6,506 homeless children from 2012-2013 despite the existence of “extensive” strategies for ending homelessness, according to the report.

When Christie Jones, a school counselor in Stafford, VA, became aware of the many homeless children in her area, she searched for a tool to teach kids about homelessness in a way they would understand, but found nothing. Jones decided to write her own book on the struggles of a fictional young school-aged boy who lives in a shelter.

“I had several students in mind, and I was looking for a resource to support them.

We had an influx of homeless students,” Jones said in an interview with Street Sense. “I wanted to see if I could find something that was telling their story so that they would know that they’re not the only ones who are living in that situation.”

Max, a main character, is a compilation of students that Jones has worked with over the years.

In “Are We Home Yet?” Max is forced to live in a shelter with his family after his father lost his job. He enjoys the stability he finds in school: his teachers, his friends and a designated place to keep his belongings. Max depicts the lives of the 1.2 million homeless children who attend public schools in the United States.

It is important to teach children about the diversity of the various home lives of people in our communities--including those who live in a shelter, according to Jones. She hopes that “because they are so innocent and have so much compassion,” children will come to understand homelessness and have empathy for their classmates that may be living the realities of it.

Jones also stressed the importance of educating school officials on the number of homeless students in their area.

“I don’t think there are many who are aware of the many definitions of homelessness as it applies to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act,” said Jones.

“It starts with education and awareness.”

The McKinney-Vento Act was passed in 1987 and has been labeled by the National Coalition for the Homeless as the first and

only major federal legislative response to homelessness. Title VII of the Act provides for several education and training programs to benefit children and adults.

“Homeless liaisons at schools often confront limitations due to low funding of the McKinney-Vento program,” Denise Ross, Homeless Liaison at Prince George’s County School District, said at Tuesday’s briefing.

Only 22 percent of school districts in the country receive McKinney-Vento Act funds, according to Ross. She believes school district homeless liaisons are essential for effective implementation of these funds.

“The McKinney Vento Act’s education provisions should be strengthened, and its funding should be increased,” Ross said.

“In addition, HUD homeless policy should be amended to include families who live in hotels, or who are forced to stay with other people.”

Last February The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), established by Mckinney-Vento, released a new 4-part system to target family homelessness called Family Connections. The strategies under this system include assessing families’ needs to better tailor the aid they receive, connecting them to that aid and developing evidence-based practices for serving homeless families and those who are at risk of becoming homeless.

AIR/NCFH suggested targeting child and family homelessness by ensuring education, housing, and employment opportunities for the likeliest demographic to head homeless households: single mothers.

America’s Youngest Outcasts suggested providing services that would help single mothers with childcare and transporta-

tion, in addition to supplemental income for single mothers who work part time and/or at minimum wage rates Mark Greenberg also addressed the work that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has been doing alongside USICH and HUD to prevent child homelessness. Greenberg, acting assistant secretary of the ACF for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, discussed the ACF’s guides for shelter and housing providers to better assess their clients.

America’s Youngest Outcasts also indicates a need for a better overall assessment of homeless families or those that are at risk. This sort of assessment would not only inquire on the size and income of the family unit but also inquire about each individual member’s exposure to trauma, health issues, as well as each child’s developmental needs.

“When I talk with people about the effects of homelessness on children, I don’t think that people are really paying attention to the life-long effects,” said Jones.

“They have this bowl of emotions all mixed up inside of them, and they don’t really know what to do. Their parents don’t know what to do.”

Jones also mentioned the high levels of stress and trauma that children may have experienced.

“The impact of homelessness in children—especially young children—may lead to changes in brain architecture that interferes with learning, emotional wellbeing, cognitive skills, and the ability to form positive relationships,” McGah said.

OP-ED:

Get Off Your Apathy!

By Anti-Apathetic, Vendor

I begged inclusion on the fifth Lessons of Hope project that would focus on mental health and homelessness after being impressed by the previous forum about physical health and homelessness.

My own contributions were minimal, but I witnessed a phenomenal team of volunteers, led by Rachael Buck, plan, refine and execute an excellent event!

Each player took on assigned tasks and carried them out to the best of his or her ability. Every member demonstrated dedication and perseverance at such a high caliber that, if contagious, it would eventually eradicate the social ill called homelessness.

The best part: the numbers!

More than 140 caring citizens came out after a day on which, due to a forecast of snow, federal employees didn’t have to go to work. The community had an excuse not to attend, but they cared enough to come out in the cold. Despite the threat of inclement weather, there was a record turnout. This is what I thrive on: communal empathy.

The worst part: the numbers!

With an audience of 140, only one panelist–a Street Sense vendor and contributing writer–was homeless. The homeless population was inadequately represented in both panel and audience. Shelter and service providers should have brought their consumers here. How many people pigeonholed as “nutty bums” but actually bordering on the brink of mental or emotional turmoil may have found some solace or aid in this discussion? How many apathetic directors and caseworkers “file 13ed” the flyer or email invitation because they thought a consumer’s place was on a cot, not attending a forum?

The forum and its large audience stand testament to Street Sense.You can’t judge a paper by its cover. When you buy a copy, grab one for a friend.

Show them you have an open mind and that they can have one too!

And if you see a Street Sense vendor and can’t afford to spend the two bucks on a newspaper, remember they are as vulnerable to life’s pitfalls as anyone. Simply spend a minute to let them know you care.

Community Forum Addresses Mental Health And Homelessness

By Emma Holland Editorial Intern Preparing to speak as a panelist for a recent community forum, Angie Whitehurst seemed nervous. There was a big crowd. Terry Nicoletti reminded Whitehurst to look up toward the back of the room and move her head from left to right so the audience would feel like she was talking to them.

Whitehurst, a Street Sense vendor, spent two years “unhoused,” as she prefers to call it. During that time her struggle with depression and anxiety were exacerbated.

She found it very difficult to get mental health care, as she was uninsured.

“I want people to understand what it sounds like,” Whitehurst said. “They can’t feel it. They can’t touch it. I want them to feel it through my words.”

Whitehurst hoped to motivate the audience into action.

“Maybe it’ll increase their awareness and then they’ll say ‘I need to do something,’” she surmised.

On Jan. 27 Street Sense addressed these issues with a forum and networking event at the Quaker Meeting House near Dupont Circle, part of the organization’s “Lessons of Hope” series. Coordinator of New Initiatives Rachael Buck orchestrated the talk along with 20 other volunteers.

There were tables set up representing homelessness advocacy groups before and after the forum, hoping to connect with some inspired prospective volunteers. Lessons of Hope is all about education and motivation, according to Buck.

Executive Director Brian Carome opened by telling the story of a homeless man named Max, dealing with mental illness, who died in the woods waiting for shelter. Carome set a tone of deep concern, but also voiced the belief that the problems faced by mentally ill and homeless people could be identified and solved.

Max’s Place, a permanent supportive housing center in Fairfax County for adults with mental illnesses, was founded by New Hope Housing in Max’s honor.

The forum was moderated

by Kate Sheppard, a senior reporter at the Huffington Post, who questioned four experts on mental health and homelessness.

The availability of mental health

services and medications is limited for homeless people, according to Michele May, Director of Forensic Services at the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health.

Celeste Valente echoed this sentiment, saying that Medicaid does a lot of good but doesn’t cover everything. Valente is one of the founding members of Open Arms Housing, a low-barrier permanent housing group for women. She recalled often being told, “We can’t bill for that.”

Whitehurst described the difficulty of moving from one doctor to another. She advocated for medical and mental care to be provided in one place, especially now that there are no pay phones on the street.

“Without a cell phone, you’re up the river,” Whitehurst declared.

May emphasized that homeless issues are not just about services. According to her, part of understanding homelessness is learning that homeless people are like everyone else.

“Everybody has feelings, they fall in love, they want a place to live for the rest of their lives,” May said.

The forum explored myths about mental health and homelessness, alongside the challenges and possible solutions.

“One myth that has to be addressed is that people can’t recover,” Valente said.

Jake Bowling, director of Practice Improvement at the National Council for Behavioral Health, suggested that many people think mentally ill homeless people must be forced to take their medication because they don’t want it.

“One I’ve heard is that people just want to be homeless,” May added.

She explained how challenging it is to change one’s life while experiencing homelessness.

“It’s very difficult to go to job interviews and get your life together when you’re carrying your life on your back,” May said.

Whitehurst helped to show people the humanity of homelessness by sharing the story of what she called the two longest years of her life. The first night she spent on the street was in February.

“It was freezing and I had no idea where to go,” Whitehurst reflected.

She also had difficulty receiving any mental health services.

“I tried everything. I applied to Medicaid, every D.C. mental health care program there was, and 20 to 30 different mental health for homeless not for profits,” Whitehurst said.

Whitehurst didn’t seem to fit the programs’ requirements, commonly age and

geographic location. Sometimes she was just turned away, Whitehurst said.

During the Q-and-A session toward the end of the event, most people were asking similar questions: “What are some things people here can do to help?,” “Which programs should we support?,” “What can the media do to cover these issues better?”

Valente urged the audience to contact city government, especially because the mayor is new. She encouraged voting and attending meetings that discuss homelessness.

“We have a city council that is accessible. You can knock on their door and talk to them,” Valente said.

Whitehurst urged people to make change. According to her, everything that can be done, doesn’t always cost money.

According to May, the first step is volunteering at shelters and soup kitchens.

Angie WhiteHurst | PHOTO BY JANE CAVE

“Everything that can be done, doesn’t always cost money.”

-Angie Whitehurst “The insight that comes from past experience is invaluable,” Bowling agreed.

The forum’s community partners, hoping for new volunteers, included the District Alliance for Safe Housing, The Way Home Campaign, Open Arms Housing and Christ Church. All spoke quickly to introduce their organizations and present opportunities to get involved.

The next Lessons of Hope forum is planned for April 2015 and will focus on family and childhood.

“We should help each other, we are a society,” Whitehurst concluded and was met with applause.

STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

7

NEWS

Neighbors Rally to Demand “Housing for All”

ABOVE: Two people seen seeking warmth on a sidewalk heat grate, observed on the way to the Housing for All Rally. BELOW: City Councilwoman Elissa Silverman (LEFT) and Mayor Muriel Bowser (RIGHT) in attendance. PHOTOS BY HENRIEESE ROBERTS ABOVE: Elizabeth Falcon, Director of Housing Advocacy for The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and economic Development, addresses a packed Calvary Baptist Church (LEFT) at the 2015 Housing for All Rally.

PHOTOS BY JULIE GALLAGHER

By Julie Gallagher Editorial Intern On the morning of February 7, people of all backgrounds filled the sanctuary of Calvary Baptist Church at the Housing For All Rally. The crowd truly “showed some love”—this year’s theme—for Washington, D.C., as their home.

This annual rally is an opportunity for the Housing For All Campaign, a member of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED), to communicate to D.C. government officials exactly what funds and housing programs are needed and to provide that information as the budget is being drafted, according to CNHED’s Director of Housing Advocacy, Elizabeth Falcon.

The focal point of the rally was the request that $100 million be committed towards the Housing Production Trust Fund, which “provides loans and grants to both nonprofit and for-profit developers of affordable housing in the District of Columbia, for new construction and preservation,” according the CNHED website.

“All D.C. residents deserve safe housing,” Falcon, who is in charge of the campaign and organized the rally, said in an interview with Street Sense. “Our goal is to increase local funding for affordable housing programs so they can serve more people.”

One in five District households pays more than half its income towards rent,

and many people in the D.C. area are homeless or at risk of being homeless, according to Falcon.

“I think a lot of people in D.C. experience how unaffordable it is,” Falcon said. She is hopeful that their goals will be met and is excited to work with the new administration.

The rally started off with introductions and words of welcome from Rabbi-Educator Rachel Ackerman, who acknowledged that while D.C. residents may come “from different walks of life,” it is still one single community.

Emotions were high as a handful of D.C. residents told their own housing stories – how the programs offered by D.C. enabled them to get the support and secure housing they needed.

Waldon Adams shared his story with Permanent Supportive Housing, a program that finds permanent housing and provides services to individuals and families to help them become self-sufficient. Adams explained how the program allowed him to overcome many of life’s obstacles.

“Recurring, persistent, and difficult to eradicate,” was how Adams defined “chronic,” and urged affordable housing advocates to be just that.

Then, the winners of the 2014 Housing For All writing competition were announced. Aniya Ward, the first place winner in the Youth category, and Dynise Coogler, the first place winner in the Adult category, read their submissions aloud,

resulting in large cheers and encouragements from the audience.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, a special guest speaker, captured cheers and love from the audience as she recommitted herself to developing new strategies to eradicate homelessness and further develop and fund programs that make housing more affordable.

“We still have a very big challenge,” Bowser said, but reminded those in attendance that, “we’re in very good shape to deal with the challenges ahead.”

Bowser noted that she personally used a funded program to buy a house, and recognized that the security of owning a home allowed her to thrive in other areas in her life. She supported the Housing First initiative, and promised to make moves towards eliminating homelessness altogether and not settling for short-term solutions, like shelters.

Bowser also announced that she is changing the budget process and wants to ask community members what they think first, before drafting the budget. In order to do this, Bowser will hold sessions at local high schools to get opinions from the public.

Councilmember Anita Bonds, who is the chairwoman of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, addressed those at the rally, and said that now is the time to act and move forward. She explained how the average cost of a house in D.C. is now over $700,000, and even

those at the top of the government cannot afford to purchase homes.

“Housing affordability, as you all know, includes almost everyone,” Bonds said.

Councilmember Elissa Silverman stressed that housing should not feel like a gift, but rather it is a “responsibility of the government.”

“We need to make sure affordable housing is not sub-standard housing,” Silverman said. Silverman also urged members of the community to speak out and get involved, so that the government can base its priorities around the priorities of D.C.’s residents.

All of the government officials expressed their support for putting $100 million into the Trust Fund.

To conclude the rally, Elizabeth Falcon was honored for her four years of work at CNHED and the Housing For All Campaign.

To help people become advocates for affordable housing, the Housing For All Campaign is offering Advocacy Training on Wednesday nights starting Feb. 25 at the WeWork Wonder Bread Factory from 6-8 p.m. This training program will help teach people how to give testimony, talk to the media, and contact local officials.

At the end of the rally, David Bowers, representing the Mid-Atlantic Region for Enterprise Community Partners, stood up and said, “Keep fighting, and we will win the fight.”

Southeast: The Final Frontier

By Reginald Black, Vendor, “Da Street Reportin’ Artist” In a recent article published by Al Jazeera America, the question was asked: who can afford to live where? The story described some middle class homeowners’ reactions to the prospect of new housing units being built in their neighborhood for low income employed people. NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) comes to my mind.

Many people want to help the poor and are willing to volunteer their time, but often it becomes a different story when you talk about living next to them.

A sticking point in the article was that if low-income housing is built, it may bring down the other home values in the neighborhood.

Right now, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, the battle lines are clearlydrawn, with homeowners opposing the development of low-income housing in their neighborhood and developers hoping to take advantage of tax breaks if they build new units for less advantaged citizens. The County Council seemed to align with the higher-income residents when it submitted a bill to repeal certain tax exemptions that would ease the way for the proposed affordable housing units.

Do low income people ever have a chance? The answer to that question may lie in a theory that is being used in cases

of housing discrimination.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has long used the legal theory of “disparate impact” to determine violations of the Fair Housing Act, even in the absence of discriminatory intent. HUD formalized its standard for disparate impact in a rule established in 2013: if a plaintiff (the person that feels they have been treated unfairly) can show a discriminatory effect, the defendant must show that the practice was necessary to achieve a “legitimate” goal that was not intentionally discriminatory.

Even if the defendant succeeds in proving that their actions were consistent with the purpose of the Fair Housing Act, the plaintiff can still identify a different and less discriminatory practice and argue that it should have been used. How does this theory play out in Washington, D.C.?

It is only recently that the federal government allowed a building to be equipped with residential penthouses and to be twenty stories high. It is no wonder so many people want to live in the District of Colombia: there is vertical space.

Over and over, advocates and neighborhoods have been battling gentrification and displacement, with one of the last frontiers being Southeast D.C. The

Policing Law Enforcement

By Henrieese Roberts, Vendor

The first day-long public hearing of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing was held at the Newseum on January 13, 2015. President Obama signed an executive order in December to create this group of law enforcement representatives, community leaders, young adults and notable scholars in the wake of protests and racial tensions surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, and Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY. The Task Force is expected to provide an initial report to the President by March 2, 2015, with recommendations on how to improve collaboration between law enforcement and the community, promote effective crime reduction and address concerns about police violence. Four public listening sessions were held last month: two in the District and two in Ohio. Two more will take place this month in Arizona, with a final session back in Washington, D.C. on February 23. Written comments may be submitted to comment@taskforceonpolicing.us.

Department of Housing and Community Development (DCHD) holds several properties within a mile of the Anacostia Metro Station. Growing up in the neighborhood, I’ve watched these properties go unused for years. With the District’s population continuing to grow, I fear new high-income residents will inevitably look here to find more space. But if those sites are developed, housing values, property taxes and rents in the area will increase.

If long-time residents in Southeast--many on fixed incomes--say “no, we don’t want our rents or property taxes to increase,” would disparate impact theory save them?

If Anne Arundel County is not found to be discriminatory in excluding low-income earners, could Southeast push away new high-income residents to keep their neighborhoods affordable?

The Anne Arundel County situation came into focus at the same time a housing discrimination case from Texas went before the U.S. Supreme Court in January.

Washington, D.C. will be watching to see how the Supreme Court interprets disparate-impact theory. In time, everyone will see that when talking about housing, we need to all be at the same table.

Several of the 8 underutilized properties held by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DCHD). TOP-LEFT: Vacant lot at the corner of Bangor and Pomeroy Roads SE; TOP-RIGHT: Lot streetching along Martin Luther King Ave from Chicago St SE to Morris Rd SE, containing three unused structures; BELOW: Unused commercial building at the corner of Martin Luther King Ave. and Howard Rd SE. PHOTOS BY REGINALD BLACK

STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

9

FEATURE

I Have A Dream....

On February 5, community artist Omolara Williams McCallister visited the Street Sense offices to ask our vendors about their experiences and their dreams.

McCallister asked each person to write their “dream for a future with without race-based privilege or race-based oppression” onto a cotinuous ribbon, with each entry separated by the hashtag #IHaveADream.She has been collecting dreams from across the city, and visited Street Sense to incorporate more voices from her homeless or formerly homeless neighbors.

McCallister has been creating public art projects under the labels #SolidariTrees and #BlackLivesMatter since returning from the riots following Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson Missouri.

On Monday, February 9, the ribbons began appearing wrapped around trees lining city streets.

“To be able to live free in a society where I can reach my career goals successfuly by actually being compensated for my ideas, thoughts and God-given talents; instead of being swindled out of them unrighteously tranformed into a bum in life and society - preventing you from supporting your family; basic rights and freedoms due exist.”

- Levester Green “For parents to be better role models for there kids; to stop the killing; to educate more; to house the homeless. For people to look at life better: not just 20/20 on the outside but on the inside as well - so life can be a much better place in heaven and not hell . God Bless.”

-Lawrence Rogers

“To see my people living as one with the reflection of the land shining in there eyes” - Robert Warrren “That one day all will have a safe place to live , Housing is a Human right!”

- Reginald Black

PHOTO COURTESY LEO SENAI

PHOTO BY OMOLARA WILLIAMS MCCALLISTER

“Better economies; more respect; better lives” - Jermale Mcknight

The Shake Down Cruise The Joy of Living

Motels

On a cold morning one hears a warnin Crowded in church foyer, milling around; Like an icicle, a single human sound.

“Disperse ye, this is not a drop-in center, nor a heating site.”

Did I hear that right?

Neither pigeon, sparrow nor Starveling Needs such urging, tho’ These birds receive Least their basic needs.

The joy of living, it could be so much of giving

On another morn, An acquaintance shared, No need for another MLK flick; Civil rights stories make me sick.

Yet a new movie is not very groovy.

But a person less a home might ask, Why not a dollar–would make me holler My gratitude endless, a simple cup of coffee; Or using the bathroom Just like you? Won’t that do?

Segregation yet lives! So, what gives?

To do a dance, and have so much romance Drink a little wine, and you’ll be fine

Laura Zeilinger, newly in charge of the D.C. Department of Human Services, said recently that it’s not good for the city to rent 400 rooms a day for the homeless.

She argued that the city needs better, more cost effective approaches to keeping people sheltered.

Maybe things could be better, but right now, renting motel rooms for homeless families is one of the best solutions there is.

The city has the money, so why not spend it?

Renting motels gets families off the streets and gives them more peace of mind to focus on obtaining permanent housing. I’m so happy that the motel

rooms are available for homeless families.

The motels won’t end homelessness, but it’s a good start.

Ward 8 is the poorest ward in the city, so why don’t we start there? Most of the people you see on the street, regardless of where you see them, are from the poorest wards. Most of the community has been doing their part for years, such as Miriam’s Kitchen, So Others Might Eat (SOME), Friendship Place, Bread for the City, The Coalition for the Homeless and others. The motels are not a waste of money.

The city needs to step up more. Thank God for the motels.

So Whatchu Sayin?

Graciously, To All of Our Vendors:

By Chris Shaw, “The Cowboy Poet”

By Tammy Michele Rice, Volunteer

To see a sick one, let’s try and have some fun Put a smile on someone’s face, and tell them to join the race The joy of living, it could be so much of giving

Go to the amusement park, and stay after dark You can have a picnic or watch a Netflick The joy of living It could be so much of giving

By Phillip Black, Vendor, “The Cat in the Hat”

By Levester Green, Vendor

Nickel & diming me, while they crowning me.

Trying to cheat me out my victory.

Messing with my timing in my rhyming in addition to my family.

Bizzy playing when pertaining to paying.

You’re misbehaving heavily,

More Comics to Return Soon! ics

com

KLEVER’S

withholding from me having a haven.

So that’s no bread. No dough for the city since you haven’t had no pity.

By Michael Lee Matthews, Vendor

My brothers and sisters who work at Street Sense, Rachael, Jennifer, Eric, Brian, Jeff–and Brandon truly missed.

May God and Jesus truly be with the vendors! It’s not easy, standing outside in the freezing cold for one or two hours.

Sometimes it can seem inhumane… especially when you might not even make a sale! But I write to inspire the vendors: God is not through with us yet!

I am doing as much as I possibly can to make life better for the homeless and the poor. God and Jesus give me the strength.

And you can too. Please, fight for the poor! Keep fighting for the homeless!

STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

11

OPINION

Capitalism That’s Humane and Compassionate

I Choose Good Health

Congratulations, Anita

By Jeffery McNeil Vendor

By Eric Thompson-Bey Vendor

The Honorable Anita Bonds, D.C. Councilmember At-Large

I consider myself a Bleeding Heart capitalist. While some contend that capitalism is immoral, I contend that it is amoral. Capitalism is not designed to create a just society, but is designed for people to make choices freely.

Capitalism is not compassionate, but very cruel for those who are unproductive. Capitalism rewards t hose who produce while punishing those who can’t keep pace.

But, because capitalism is amoral by its fundamental nature, it gives rise to two major philosophical challenges: liberty and equality. Those who amass great fortunes through capitalism want to have more power over the fortunes they create, while those who have been duly harmed believe an authority should regulate how wealth is distributed.

Politically speaking, those who are for liberty are usually conservatives, while those who are for equality are usually liberals. One reason tensions exist is that both ideals appeal to both conservatives and liberals.

I’m a conservative who believes that to operate effectively in a capitalist society, all citizens--regardless of race, creed, or color--should enjoy equality of the law and opportunity. Like in a poker tournament, everyone should start with the same amount of chips. Anyone with a higher or lower amount reduces the efficiency of capitalism.

In an aged society like ours, some are born rich and some are born poor. Society has not figured out how to correct mistakes that our fathers created. A rich guy can steal millions, find himself a highpowered attorney, and never spend a day in jail, while a poor kid gets caught with a bag of dope and may spend years in prison. A person born in Georgetown has a better chance of succeeding than someone born in Barry Farms. This is wrong and an intolerable waste of resources.

In a nation that doesn’t use all its resources judiciously, it is criminal to ignore those who are left in abject poverty.

I support programs that keep families intact, such as workfare, infrastructure spending and free community education.

We should get rid of the minimum wage, remove the progressive income tax and replace it with a taxation system that benefits everyone, such as guaranteed income.

I feel those that are for liberty have gotten a bad rap and I believe that the best way to save capitalism is to promote a more humane and just capitalism.

Being homeless and poor brings many challenges, such as not being able to find affordable housing, or housing at all. But something we sometimes forget about is good health care. I asked six men housed at the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) shelter, if you had to choose between health care and housing, which would you choose?

Five of six chose housing.

Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to secure housing that we forget about our health care. Being homeless since 1997, I find myself putting housing before health care. But in the long run I’ve found out that putting off health care and not taking care of myself can be physically painful. I’m dealing with serious foot pain.

After years of wear and tear and not regularly seeing a podiatrist, I have painful calluses and bunions. I’ve had to reschedule doctor appointments because of my unpredicatable housing situation and other obligations. Most of my homeless life has been spent in the downtown area, so there’s really no need for public transportation. A lot of my traveling has been done by walking, which didn’t help my feet any.

Now I see my doctor regularly and make better choices.

How good is health care for the poor?

First, we must find a doctor who will accept our insurance, which may not be easy at times. I have Medicaid and have trouble finding a good doctor. I asked one doctor, “Why don’t you take Medicaid?”

He said, “Too much paperwork.”

I’m with my third podiatrist in the last three years. My first doctor stopped accepting my insurance because he was having problems with the Medicaid paperwork. I stopped seeing the second doctor because I didn’t think I was receiving the best treatment. Also, I couldn’t afford to pay the $25 fee for missing an appointment. These doctors’ offices were located in the Ward 8 section of the city. I’m now seeing a doctor at George Washington University. While reading an article about health care for the poor, I found out that one-third of doctors refuse to see new Medicaid patients. Why? Because Medicaid pays only about 60 percent of what private insurers pay.

Choosing to put our health care on the back burner may not be the wise thing to do, but when you’ve been homeless for so long, housing becomes your priority. I think our health care system is biased against the poor because it limits our access to the best health care we can receive.

Thoughts on Charitable Giving

By Scott Lovell, Vendor

I was watching the news one night. And they were talking about panhandlers.

They were saying to give money to organizations rather than to the homeless person. Well, if your heart said help that person, that is what God is telling you to do. If your heart told you to give it to an organization, then find one to donate to.

Through my experience of being homeless for five years, most of the the organizations are needing the money to pay their workers to find resources to help people.

So that means that the homeless person isn’t getting anything from your donation.

Now I want to explain to you the difference between Street Sense vendors and panhandlers.

Street Sense vendors are people who are homeless, or were homeless, but got a break or help to get off the streets. We now need some type of income to either get off the street or stay off the street. We

distribute Street Sense newspapers as a job for income.Trust me, it ain’t easy sitting or standing out there asking people to help us for a donation for our papers. Some of us even give our testimonies, write poems, or draw cartoons for the newspapers.

Panhandlers ask you for spare change or monies for whatever reason they need it.

Don’t let your mind or friend tell you that the person will only buy drugs or alcohol, because your heart has already told you to help this person. And that person has to answer to God if he or she uses this money for any other reason other than what they told you they needed it for.

Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

So I would take a moment to thank everyone who supports Street Sense vendors. The paper tells you how to donate to help Street Sense as a whole or to the vendor specifically.

To help me, my name is Scott Lovell, Vendor #445 Thanks to all.

By Gary Minter, Vendor

Dear Councilmember Bonds, Congratulations on your selection to head the Committee on Housing and Community Development!

Economic trends in most major cities, especially Washington, D.C., encourage young people with good jobs, and wealthy people in general, to move back to our urban core areas. We are fighting a rising tide of affluent folks who desire to avoid commuting and to live near their jobs and entertainment venues. They have plenty of money to spend on housing, so naturally, landlords and developers will take advantage of the situation and raise prices.

As one who has been homeless on and off for six years, I can relate to the difficulty of finding even an affordable room to rent in D.C., not to mention an apartment!

I’ve lived mainly in Southeast and Northeast D.C. and stayed at 801 East Men’s Shelter on Martin Luther King Blvd. I also stayed in a couple of very nice small shelters provided by Friendship Place and So Others Might Eat, as well as renting a room on 18th and Benning Rd., NE for the past two years. Unfortunately, I had to leave my room because I could no longer afford to pay my rent, so I am homeless again.

My sincere thanks for your many years of helping low-income people like me. One more thing: please help the People for Fairness Coalition (PFFC) women’s group, who fight for more access to public restroom facilities for all us homeless and poor folks and street people in Washington, D.C. They would really appreciate your help on this issue. Marcy Bernbaum in particular has done excellent research on the Public Toilet situation in other cities, and my other friends at People for Fairness are very nice, hardworking and sincere people who have worked for over six years to help those who are homeless and low-income. You can contact Robert Warren, John McDermott, Albert Townsend, Eugene Sanford, Marcy Bernbaum and the other PFFC folks at Miriam’s Kitchen (ask for Kyla or Kurt.)

PFFC meets every Tuesday morning after breakfast at Miriam’s Kitchen, from 8:15 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. I know they would be thrilled and honored if you or other members of our city government paid them a visit sometime! If you come early, you can enjoy a delicious, gourmet-quality breakfast at Miriam’s Kitchen.

Sincerely, Gary J. Minter Former member of Interagency Council on Homelessness Writer and vendor for Street Sense

The Street Sense Writers’ Group is led by writing professionals and meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The group’s goal is to develop ideas and collaborate on the next great issue of Street Sense.

Trusting God

My Journey and Appreciation to All Who Helped Me

By Charles Davis, Vendor

By Beverly Sutton, Vendor

To trust God, you must totally believe in him, because his love for us is very real. That is why he gave his only begotten son to save this world for you.

(John 3:16). I try to say my prayers every night and do my morning prayers every time I wake up, because seeing another blessed day really means something to me.

Selling Street Sense is another way to give thanks, because every day is not promised. You have good days and you have bad days, so remember to keep the faith. When I first joined Street Sense, it gave me new meaning, having a job while also being homeless. That gave me another line of hope for meeting more people and finding a different view of life.

Sometimes begging for change gets so boring. But selling Street Sense gets you recognized, and people acknowledge that you really want to get your life back on track. So, Street Sense family, I will continue to work with you, and I hope you will continue to work with me.

Continuing my education is also a big issue. Since I have been involved with Street Sense, I have met so many people who are helping me go in that direction, including registering for classes at the D.C. Department of Employment Services.

So, trust in God, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, because they really love us. And always keep your love for them, because the kingdom of heaven will always be a beautiful place for us. I thank you always, God the Almighty. Amen!

Shelter Life

I Talk About

You go in when it opens and sit on your folding cart. The bunk beds seem like they’re from an old World War. You can eat or straighten your clothes, things, and worn old bag. You can use the bathroom for five or ten minutes--that’s all you get--because there are 50 or so women right behind you. You can sleep, or listen to women fussing and cussing or talking about their personal problems, or cussing about other people’s problems. It is so sad.

I talk about determination, you gotta have goals I talk about freedom, cause y’all will sell your soul I talk about poverty, and how I’ll overcome I talk about dreams, and visions of the sun I talk about history, because it’s important And if I don’t point it out, you’ll all ignore it

By Dorris Robinson, Vendor

By Rachel Higdon, Vendor

I I I I I I

talk talk talk talk talk talk

about about about about about about

ambition, guard it with your life winning, not once, but twice pain, but not about how I feel loyalty, gotta keep it real knowledge, I’m not dumbing it down peace, too many gettin’ gunned down

Things were really bad when I first was raised. I was in a foster home where they hit me and put me in a basement with rats and roaches. They beat me with an iron cord, and it made me spit up on the table.

I was there from age nine until I was 12.

Then I was moved to a foster home on Emerson Street with Miss Nellie, who was very good to me. She felt like a mom to me. And she kept me until I was 38. That’s how good she was to me. Then she died and I became homeless.

I stayed in shelters, but in the mornings everyone had to go out on the street. I washed up in McDonald’s and Burger King bathrooms. I just drank and stayed depressed a lot. I used to deliberately get caught drinking so I could go to jail, where I’d have a place to sleep and to take a shower.

I was 50 years old when I became unhomeless. A social worker from Bread for

the City worked on finding a home for me.

It took a while, but I kept reporting to her when she told me to, and finally I got a place to stay. It’s called St. John’s Community Services.

I’ve had my own apartment now for seven years. My depression went away.

Everything went away, like the suicidal thoughts. When I was homeless, I told myself five times that I would commit suicide if I didn’t get the help I needed. I actually tried to commit suicide two times.

After I got my apartment, I worked at a job doing linen work in the laundry at the Hilton Hotel. You pull the linens out through these big machines and then put them in great big dryers. I did that for five months, until I injured my wrist and my shoulder on the job.

Now I’m looking forward to selling Street Sense. I’m grateful for all the help I have had turning my life around.

A Poem

A Showman's Spell

The days are long and my nights are cold.

The sun shines only on those who are bold.

Pain is love, this can’t be life, Living in the struggle and the fight.

The demons make moves every single night, but the good in me needs sunlight.

So like a lion in the jungle, I allow myself to be humble, so when it’s time to eat, I hear no rumble.

I’m off again until the sun ends, lay down, wake up and start all over again.

Here’s a quick word to the wise – live in truth or die in lies.

You put a spell on us With stronghold crying.

Legend says it took a fifth of bourbon.

Legend was right.

You sang.

You started low.

Your raucous crowd went loudly silent At the kindness in your power.

Screaming Jay Hawkins, Your spirit screams Without your trying.

By Lawrence Rogers, Vendor

By Gabriel Raphael, Vendor

MY KATRINA: Part 27

By Gerald Anderson, Vendors

PREVIOUSLY: The airport looked like a zoo.

It had more animals than people, all kind of animals, except giraffes and hippopotamuses—they didn’t have all that. Then the lady say, “Oh, we have space to Washington, DC. If y’all willing to take that plane, we’ll take y’all there.” Now it went back to my mind about that plane that crashed in the 80s. But finally I was on my way, leaving my hometown, thinking how it was goin’ to feel, bein’ where I don’t know anybody. But I’d be with a better roof over my head, not eatin’ cold sandwiches, havin’ hot food, a better place with no more water in the streets, no more nightmares.

That’s how I pictured it...

Some people had little bitty small dogs on the plane. The blind people had they big dogs. The airport folks let everyone bring their animals. It was like Noah’s Arc with all the hamsters, parrots, iguanas, and snakes.

Once we got relaxed on the plane the waitress come around and offer you water, soda, peanuts, sandwiches. They told us to let one of them know if we want to use the bathroom, otherwise be seated when the plane bein’ moved. No electronics, which we didn’t have anyway.

A lot of us had a suitcase and pictures of family. I had a bag with clothes and shoes I had taken out of the store during the storm. The waitress showed me how to push a button to make the back of my seat recline. I closed my eyes and all them dogs on the plane got me thinkin’ about Bundy.

Bundy—one of my friends’ dogs—was the baddest dog around. He don’t lose. Last dog I seen him fight, he killed that dog; it was really no fight. Bundy’s owner feed him raw steak and raw chicken. He take all the bones out because bones choke in the throat. Bundy look like a body-building dog. Bundy stays chained up with a mask

on his mouth underneath the projects.

Both Bundy and his owner weren’t around during the storm. I can tell you one thing: wherever Bundy go, he win the show. You can put your house up on Bundy and you ain’t gonna lose it. I can tell you that.

The police couldn’t even touch the master without Bundy goin’ off. Bundy was a dog that seek and destroy. When I see Bundy lock up on another dog, I say Oh my God, you dead. Sometimes Bundy had a lock on them but they didn’t die.

They fight “under the table,” because it’s against the law to do the dog fight.

But you know people do what they do.

Some young kids come along thinking they got a bad dog.

Bundy’s owner don’t go looking for fight. Someone come to him. He say, “You sure you want your dog to fight my dog?

Bundy might put a damage on him.” Whatever Bundy owner say, Bundy listen. I had

some young boys in my neighborhood who could steal dogs, even Bundy. They come and say you think your dog can’t get taken? And you say, no, you can’t take him.

Bundy’s owner Kevin—we called him Kid— had to pay those boys to get Bundy back.

When I see Bundy fight, I just say to myself, that other dog about to die today.

I don’t know why the others come around.

I think, Please get this dog away, but I admit I be cheering for Bundy because he gonna put in work. Of course, it chills in my body that the dogs shouldn’t fight.

But I’m just a guest watching a dog fight; there’s so many going on. I see it a lot.

It’s just part of life in the projects. I don’t like to see no animal get bruised.

The plane makes a jolt and bounces me back to realizing I’m way up in the sky and with the jolt and all the animals, it’s like the world comin’ to the end. (to be continued)

STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

13

VENDOR WRITING

Someone

By James Davis, Vendor

By Chris Shaw “Cowboy Poet” Episode 26

BEHIND THE ARRAS, WE LOSE A SAINT Alice Knowles felt a bit dejected, if not rejected, for she witnessed Billy Luck and Skipper Marsh- she in the red ribbon decoupage and he in the faded, fake Armani jacket- slip hand-in-hand behind the bronzed, encrusted elevator doors leading to the seventh floor "State Department Suite," for God knows what intimate palaver. Minutes later, she posited her minute frame next to the ivory colored portal with the weird doorknob-in-the middle combo, straining to grab snippets of their conversation. Alas, she failed.

Atop the plush bed, Billy, after a few select moments of passion with the "Memphis Fox-ette," as she'd once been dubbed by her formerly all-attentive spouse Hastings Marsh, sat up. Not distracted by Alice's pathetic scratching at the door to the suite (a whiny note had just been pushed through by her, explaining why she had to split), Billy now blurted in great emotional pain, "Skipper, I really hate to do this, but I sense the Rev'rend is in extreme danger."

Skipper drew herself together, and with great effort, tried to rejoin the gravity of the moment. "Well, Honey, perhaps we need to, let's say, Vamoose up to the Ch---?"

"Exactly, lady. By horse, train, taxi, hoof, whatever we can muster!"

The nearest alternative was the newlyopened Metro Center Station, but Guitar Bill, one of Billy's new acquaintances, was giving a Blues demonstration at the north entrance. This brouhaha was further bollixed by Carlille and Lieutenant Ford

crashing their blue-and-white cruiser into the head of the escalators, in vain pursuit of one of Jed Harris' pimp associates, who was at that moment abducting the young Skintight from Murphy's store rear exit!

So as we spoke, Reverend Rand was leading his flock in "Precious Lord Take My Hand," to commemorate his triumphant return to the mission, when he was forced to retire behind the faded velvet drape behind his lectern. A dreadful ruckus was in progress, and it turned out Ferret was the cause, shrieking "HALP! SAVE ME-- PU-LEEAZE!!", in faked protestations of distress.

With no time to take up his once-precious sack of golden liquid, The Rev was able this time to face his arch foe headon-- and for once, clear-eyed.

"You'll be a Goner, Wretch!!"

"Au Con-traire, Sucker. Some Man O' Gawd YOU turned out to BE!" As Ferret drew his wicked Bowie blade from right to left across Reverend Rand's wrinkled throat, The Rev gasped a single word-- "MERCY--" and died a sober man. A nasty DJINKLE! sounded as Ferret/Apache plunged blindly and madly out the Reverend's study window.

Moments later, as the organ played on unmindfully, Billy, Skipper and Macedonia Green cradled the bleeding and lifeless person. Billy's and Skipper's unexpected messenger, HARRIS, wept copious tears, staining his dirty bandages. "Rev was a saint, Y'all.

He didn't deserve this...Why, I'm a' helping you, Billy, to bring this Ferret Bastard DOWN ...Soon!" (to be continued)

The Hawk and the Buzzard

By Leonard Hyater, Vendor

The parable of the Hawk and the Buzzard is often repeated. Leonard Hyater shares his take on the story, below: This a story about the Hawk and the buzzard. One early Sunday morning, high on the mountain range, as they were sitting on a tree limb apart from one another, the Hawk said, “Good morning Mr. Buzzard.”

“How are you?” the Hawk asked.

The Buzzard said, “Fine, Mr. Hawk.”

So as they sat high on the mountain, the Hawk looked down and saw these chickens. The Hawk had an idea and said to the buzzard, “How about going down to swipe one of these chickens?”

The Buzzard, calm and cool, said, “I am sorry, Mr. Hawk. I’m going to wait on the good Lord.”

So, after seven days and seven nights,

the Hawk started to get impatient and he started to cuss. He said, “Come on, Mr. Buzzard, let’s go down and swipe one of these chickens and share a meal.”

The Buzzard, calm and cool, said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Hawk. I am going to wait on the good Lord.”

The next morning, the Hawk decided to go down and swipe one of the chickens.

All of a sudden, the farmer saw the Hawk and got his shotgun. When he saw the Hawk swipe down and grab the chickens, he shot the Hawk dead.

The Buzzard looked down at the dead Hawk and said, “Yea, I told you that I am going to wait on the good Lord, and guess what Mr. Hawk? I’m going to eat you.”

The moral of the story is that patience is a virtue.

And all birds, I pray, are not the same.

Someone told me they saw you today amongst the destitute and the urban decay I wish I could have saved you from a life that is doomed to destroy you.

Someone said you had went out of your mind that would have made you harder to find amongst the intellects and the daily grind.

Someone said you had changed.

You were no longer compassionate and sincere but I know you are present somewhere amongst your circumstances of despair.

Someone said you need to find yourself first before people start to assume the worst.

Life on this earth can always be undone by realizing that you could be that someone.

From my upcoming poetry book “Arugula Salad and Other Food For Thought.”

The two officers run over to the homeless man and start beating him, saying cruel words to him as they both took turns beating ‘the old homeless guy.’ Just for sleeping on the stairs of a government building too late. He happened to be approached by two police officers and was beaten so badly that the officer called for an ambulance and an emergency response team for the homeless man. The officer never knew the man’s health condition.

The homeless man stopped breathing in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

He was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA). (a Beggar’s Plea) Jim Townson saw all this from the other side of the street, recording everything that happened from beginning to the end, not missing a beat. Thanks to his Obama phone! As Jim headed to his newspaper job, taking his normal route, he saw and recorded all that. Cruel and unfit punishment on helpless people! (a Beggar’s Plea) Jim was not surprised by what he had just seen. It is nothing new to his (Jim’s) eyes, just his first time getting it on phone record. Arriving at his main office where he (Jim) picks up his paper and heads straight to his work site. See, not only does Jim work and sell the paper, he also writes for them too. Seeing and recording what he had just saw will be a very good

story to know, Jim thinks to himself.

Heading to his work site having to think positively after all he has seen because of the type of people he (Jim) has to work around. (a Beggar’s Plea) Knowing and feeling trapped, he can’t get hired anywhere else, Jim feels very sad and depressed. But he “mans up” and holds in the pain. While most, the majority of the people at Jim’s work site pass him up everyday smiling and standing right in front of him, laughing while Jim’s humble pitch goes in a humble helping voice “Good Morning everyone have a blessed day, help the homeless with my first story. It’s a non-fiction short in our new homeless newspaper.” (a Beggar’s Plea) God bless the homeless.

The little money Jim makes from his work site isn’t enough to get him through a single day. He often misses the free meals and clothing nonprofit organizations and church give-aways in city parks, due to the many he works. (a Beggar’s Plea) Jim misses all this while trying very hard to live life, not just survive. Dealing with these types of mean, rude, uncaring people makes it very very hard just to survive in hopeful Washington DC. (a Beggar’s Plea) Working from 4:00 am till 1:00 pm that evening, Jim doesn’t make more than $28.

He walks away from his work site with nothing to eat and little money to save, yet again. Spiritually in-touch, Jim still feels blessed that everyday he wakes up to fight for a better day, a better way, and a better life. This newspaper job keeps him from turning to ways to earn money in a city called hopeful Washington, DC. (a Beggar’s Plea) (to be continued)

Rental Assistance Expanded to Native American Veterans

My Adorable Granddaughter

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, known as the HUD-VASH program, released a statement on January 30, 2015, acknowledging its new initiative to extend their services to Native American veterans for the first time.

The program, which is a combined effort of both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, has provided Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, case management, and clinical services for homeless veterans since 2008.

The press release stated, “$4 million will be invested specifically to support Native American veterans experiencing homelessness.”

It is predicted that about 650 veterans who live on or near Native American tribal lands will benefit from this HUD-VASH ex-

H e l l o , Wa s h i n g ton, D.C. I am Lester L. Benjamin, vendor #486. I’m from North Carolina. Some of you may know me. Others may have read my story about losing Travis, my only child. He left me a very precious baby girl named Katrina. She will be three-years-old on June 23. She lives in North Carolina with my mother, and she is my life.

I have been through many trials and tribulations. But God has truly blessed me. I am fighting alcoholism and drug addiction.

By Julie Gallagher, Editorial Intern

pansion by receiving secure housing and support services.

HUD-VASH is requesting that Native American leaders work with the program in order to tailor the initiative to the needs of their communities. Regional HUD-VASH offices will hold public listening sessions with Native American communities in order to gain that insight.

Comments can be submitted to tribalhudvashcomments@hud.gov.

“Ensuring that our men and women who served in uniform receive the care and support they’ve earned is a national responsibility,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro in the press release. “But for too long, fulfilling that responsibility to many Native American veterans has been borne

by Indian Country alone. We’re changing that this year.”

She Knew

By James Daniel Johnson, Vendor It’s January 23, 2015, an unfortunate date sad to say A few hours ago my aunt, Annie Lois, informed me that My grandmother died yesterday I was aware this time was fast approaching, her health grew increasingly worse Medications became useless, she required personal care from a licensed nurse As grieved as I am over her death, I still have yet to cry About this I’ve questioned myself, and my conscience tells me why I made amends for breaking her heart, I gave her due reverence And respect For the past four years I was determined to give the honor she had a right to expect She’s now taking a nap before going to heaven, to miserable mourning I won’t defer Furthermore It’s consolation to know, that when she died she knew I loved her (Isaiah Chapter 57: Verses 1-2) (Proverbs Chapter 10: Verse 7)

To the memory of Mary Alice Johnson - Goodbye for now Grandma, by God’s grace thanks to Jesus, I’ll see you again in Heaven, Amen!

This is Very Hard

By Elizabeth Bryant, Vendor

This is very hard for me. As I am writing I feel pain because my oldest daughter, Lucretia, died two years ago. I was in shock when I spoke with my AA sponsor recently: I told her it had been one year, but she said it had been longer. Sure enough, when I looked at funeral papers, Lucretia was cremated on March 13, 2013. She died from breast cancer (Fourth stage).

People deal with death in their own

way, so I am dealing the best I can. I cried yesterday.

I may finally accept her death. She was pretty. I miss her smile and when she called me “mother.” She had five kids. I haven’t seen them in two years. I hope that changes. I have another daughter with a son. And I always love them both. I like being a mother and a grandmother. I hope that’s not a thing of the past.

By Lester L. Benjamin, Vendor

But my only addiction now is my love for my granddaughter. She has inspired me to take control of my life and to put her first.

I phone her every day. She greets me by saying “Hey PaPa, ‘yuv’ you.”

I wasn’t the perfect father to my son.

But God has blessed me by giving me the chance to be a better father for my granddaughter. Thank you, Street Sense, for all the support by enabling me to pour out all my tears on this paper. My life is now my grandbaby, Katrina, and my heart beats only for her. Thank you, God, for the most precious gift a man can have. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Fire Alarm

By Judson Williams, Vendor On the cusp between morning and night, the day after Veterans Day 2014, a fire alarm went off in my building. I had spent the previous day recovering from a storm and dreaming of finally getting an article in Street Sense. Suffice it to say, I got a load off my chest (some would suggest it came from a lower part of my anatomy…my apologies).

I spent the afternoon after the fire alarm cleaning and sorting through the kitchen.

Normally, I find myself tracing paths within my studio apartment. Every time I leave one part of the studio to enter another, I feel as if I have entered a different Bardo state, i.e., a different universe.

In Tibetan tradition, Bardo states occur after one life on Earth has ended and before the next one begins: the interval between death and rebirth. Some suggest this experience is in the heart and mind, while others say multiple universes exist. You could read more in The Tibetan Book of the Dead (more properly referred to by its actual title, The Great Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate States). Aside from its obvious focus on the journey through the afterlife, this book could even be used as a guide for traversing the heart and mind within states of addiction and other non-harmonious experiences: grief, betrayal, etc.

Many other spiritual groups recognize similar elements of the soul’s journey toward God. Dante’s trilogy, the Divine Comedy, which is divided into three parts—Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso (hell, purgatory, and heaven)—comes to mind for Christians. Another example is the Kabballah’s Tree of Life for Jews, Israelites and other Semitic tribes. Regardless of any allegiance to faith, living in the city or living in the country, going back and forth to work—all these things affect the individual, the group, and the village. They impact the community, the city, the state, the nation, the hemisphere and the globe. Some religions and/or cults

say that individuals’ actions even affect the solar system, the galaxy and existence (real and unreal).

Science has termed this “the butterfly effect.” One individual may consciously or unconsciously affect many things within and external to their conscious boundaries (think as if you are Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Amy Goodman, Cezar Chavez, Malala Yousafzai, Martin Luther King Jr., and others). If this seems too heavy, this is what I’m juggling in my heart and mind.

After reading the late John C. Lilly, M.D., Ph.D’s work (known as the one-man syllabus of Western Education), I could suggest the true perception of the concept of The Beloved does not exist.

“The Beloved” is the most important thing in the perception of the perceiver (a child to mother, an ally to an adversary, etc.). So the beloved is a reflection of one’s projection--received through one’s defenses, expectations and conditioning-her and his stories and/or genomes--with the fewest distortions.

In The Scientist, Lilly writes, “In the province of connected minds, what the network believes to be true, either is true or becomes true within certain limits to be found experientially and experimentally. These limits are further beliefs to be transcended. In the network’s mind there are no limits.”

As limitless as the heart/mind is, sympathy is one thing and empathy is huge.

But, it is not precise. You can never truly fill someone else’s shoes.

It is very Neptunian, but these images and feelings flowed through me as I cleaned and moved about the studio. This vast expanse--this limitless state of mind-is just a portion of my potential. It was my metamorphosis from before the fire alarm through the very next day.

I’d like to thank Reginald Black (vendor), Amanda Briggs (volunteer), and Emma Holland (intern) for their help developing and distilling this column.

Street Sense Pride: Causes for Celebration

By Joseph Jackson, Vendor

I am Joseph Jackson. I want to thank everyone on Wisconsin Avenue in Washington, D.C., for the help they have given me. I am so glad that Mike came up the subway.

Just last week I was on Constitution Avenue and my phone rang. It was my case manager, Ms. Amber Smith: “Joseph, you have a place.” What a fabulous feeling after being robbed and stabbed in front of the shelter at 2nd and D Street, N.W. To go through that was overwhelming. I almost lost my life!

I want to thank Mr. James for being there for me when I thought there was no one. He gave me the strength to keep going, because I was about to give up. I thought nothing could be done for a felon. I also want to thank Andre for showing me who my friend was. I want to thank everyone at Friendship Place, especially Ms. Kat. Finally, I want to thank Cal for dealing with all the people frustrated at being homeless and having nowhere to go. I am not giving up. I will keep going!

Joe Jackson obtained keys to his own apartment and would like to thank everyone at Wisconsin Ave for helping him!

Debbie Brantley found housing after being homeless since 2007!

Sasha Williams celebrates her birthday on February 18th!

Academy of Hope: 269-6623 601 Edgewood St, NE aohdc.org

Bread for the City: 265-2400 (NW) | 561-8587 (SE) 1525 7th St, NW | 1640 Good Hope Rd, SE breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services: 678-2341 1217 Good Hope Road, SE calvaryservices.org

Catholic Charities: 772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp

Charlie’s Place: 232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave, NW charliesplacedc.org

Christ House: 328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd, NW christhouse.org

Church of the Pilgrims: 387-6612 2201 P St, NW churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach food (1 - 1:30 on Sundays only)

Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place: 364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave, NW cchfp.org

Community Family Life Services: 347-0511 305 E St, NW cflsdc.org

Georgetown Ministry Center: 338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave, NW georgetownministrycenter.org

Gospel Rescue Ministries: 842-1731 810 5th St, NW grm.org

Jobs Have Priority: 544-9128 425 Snd St, NW jobshavepriority.org

John Young Center: 639-8569 119 D Street, NW

Martha’s Table: 328-6608 2114 14th St, NW marthastable.org

Transportation

Education

Legal Assistance

Food

Showers

Medical/Healthcare

Laundry

DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS HOTLINE 1-888-7WE HELP (1-888-793-4357)

My Sister’s Place: 529-5991 (24-hour hotline) mysistersplacedc.org

Foundry Methodist Church: 332-4010 1500 16th St, NW foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities ID (FRIDAY 9-12 ONLY)

Outreach

YOUTH HOTLINE (202) 547-7777

D.C. Coalition for the Homeless: 347-8870 1234 Massachusetts Ave, NW dccfh.org

Food and Friends: 269-2277 219 Riggs Rd, NE foodandfriends.org (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc)

Clothing

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE (202) 749-8000

Miriam’s Kitchen: 452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave, NW miriamskitchen.org

Father McKenna Center: 842-1112 19 Eye St, NW fathermckennacenter.org

Housing/Shelter

Employment Assistance

Covenant House Washington: 610-9600 2001 Mississippi Avenue, SE covenanthousedc.org

Community of Hope: 232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Many Many Thanks

Lawrence Rogers completed a 28-day substance treatment program at Samaritans Inns!

15

STREET SENSE February 11 - 24, 2015

N Street Village: 939-2060 1333 N Street, NW nstreetvillage.org

New York Ave Shelter: 832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave, NE

Open Door Shelter: 639-8093 425 2nd St, NW newhopeministriesdc.org/id3.html

SHELTER HOTLINE: 1–800–535–7252 Thrive DC: 737-9311 1525 Newton St, NW thrivedc.org

Unity Health Care: 745-4300 3020 14th St, NW unityhealthcare.org

The Welcome Table: 347-2635 1317 G St, NW epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable

Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St, NW | 745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave, SE | 797-3567 whitman-walker.org

Samaritan Inns: 667-8831 2523 14th St, NW samaritaninns.org

Samaritan Ministries: 1516 Hamilton Street NW | 722-2280 1345 U Street SE | 889-7702 samaritanministry.org

Sasha Bruce Youthwork: 675-9340 741 8th St, SE sashabruce.org

So Others Might Eat (SOME) 797-8806 71 O St, NW some.org

Subscribe to Street Sense 1 Year: $40 2 Years: $80 3 Years: $120 I want half of my purchase to benefit a vendor directly Vendor Name Vendor Badge # Name

St. Luke’s Mission Center: 333-4949 3655 Calvert St. NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

Address Phone

The Essence of Me

By Angie Whitehurst, Vendor

Can you hold, keep, and encircle my heart?

Can you stream my soul to the longest and shortest, trickle-less rivers and beds; to the ocean’s deepest, wavy bottomless core?

Can you care for things you do not know and cannot see, But know innately that it is there awaiting to be exposed bare, encapsulated and protected?

Do you want to grasp the essence of me and all like me, one in the same, as human beings; young and old, rich, poor, roofless, isolated, stymied, famous, notorious, scandalous, condemned social outcast, too weak to survive and live?

And finally, those just getting by, eking out some kind of living.

Not waiting, just being, without malice or

unbelieving eyes.

Just viewing life as it flies by on high.

Can you hear my heart, old to young, wise and growing all the time?

When you can, will you, sing me a song, a gift of love And share your heart and soul? Just so we both will know; That you care and will perform some act of kindly love.

Why? Because, we all do experience and feel the flow and oft times continue to row against the rivers pull with oared steerage that speaks the words so dear: I know, I care, and embrace you with a loving stare and a consciousness of changes dare.

Happy Valentines Day. P.S. If you love the city, let’s do Housing First, ASAP!

Saying I Love You

By Derian Hickman, Vendor

Do we really need a day to say I (or we) love you? Happy Valentine’s Day.

Love and Valentine

By Jacqueline Turner, Vendor

The number one key to happiness is Love. The Bible says God first, then family. Family is not only mother, father, sister, brother and bloodline. Family is also neighbors and strangers. The best feeling in the world is to show love to one another as God says.

That feeling is euphoric. It makes you feel good! In turn, you are happy. Valentine’s Day is about showing love and sharing love. And remember, that is for all people. Like God says, love your neighbor as yourself.

By Ken Martin Vendor

My Happy Valentine

Put down the chocolates, breakout the popcorn & take your special someone's hand and follow that trail of rose petals to the couch!

By Phillip Howard, Vendor

Your smile is, like the morning sun.

Your eyes are, the glory of joy.

Your every moment is greater, than the highest mountain top.

Your smile is, my happy Valentine.

To Carl Turner: We have been married for 30 years, and I truly love you. May we have 30 more.

Happy Valentine’s Day. ~Jackie

February 11 - 24, 2015 • Volume 12 • Issue 7

Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW

Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC

Washington, DC 20005

Mail To:

Permit #568

Remember, buy only from badged vendors and do not give to those panhandling with one paper.

Interested in a subscription? Go to page 15 for more information.

Love Crazy 1941, 99 min. B\W William Powell and Myrna Loy are simply fantastic!! This screwball comedy is zany, (a word I don’t use often).A series of mishaps, mistakes and missteps to leads to madcap misadventure. The supporting cast is great. Love Crazy is recommended for everyone crazy about love.

I'd say, if you don't "Love" this movie maybe you are....

Directed by Jack Conway; Written by William Ludwig, Charles Lederer (screenplay); starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Gail Patrick , Jack Carson.

Murphy's Romance 1985, 107 min.

If you like May/December in your romantic comedies and this is the one for you. May is Emma, a divorced mom played by Sally Field. December is Murphy, performed to perfection by James Garner in his only Oscar nominated role. Directed by Martin Ritt.

Barefoot in the Park 1967, 106 min.

Since opposites do attract, here's one about a straight laced guy and a free minded girl that happened to live in a to small sixth floor walk-up. I won't spoil the plot but there was one scene that my date laughed so hard I was calling for a paramedic! Not a must see movie, but definitely a should see show.

Written by Neil Simon; directed by Gene Saks; starring Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Charles Boyer, & Mildred Natwick Other worthy and seldom mentioned "rom com" dateflicks include: June Bride; Lady and the Tramp; My Favorite Wife; The Party; Maybe Favorite Sport; Easy To Wed & It Happened In Naples. Enjoy!!!

Visit StreetSense.org to check out Ken’s Valentine’s Day Playlist!